Atriplex leucoclada Boiss.
Eng.: Orache. Spa.: Armuelle. Fre.: Arroche tendre. Ara.: Raghal.
Monoecious subshrub, 30-80 cm in height, ramose from the base, stems decumbent or erect. Leaves 0.5-3.5 × 0.2-3 cm, petiolate or sessile, deltoid-triangular to broadly ovate-cordate, entire, margin sinuate-dentate or wavy, base rounded or hastate. Inflorescences in panicles; those with male flowers axillary, and those with male and female flowers terminal, with fruits with deltoid bracteoles, quadrangular or campanulate, 3-5 × 2-5 mm, lobed or dentate and fused only at the base. In Egypt there are two varieties, var. inamonea (Aellen) Zohary (A. inamonea Aellen) of leaves up to 1.5 cm sessile or subsessile and limb ovate-cordate, and var. turcomanica (Moq.) Zohary (A. laciniata L. var. turcomanica Moq.) with petiolate leaves up to 3.5 cm triangular-deltoid and margin sinuate-dentate.
Flowering:
March to April.
Fruiting:
No data for this region
Habitat:
Rocky and sandy soils in desert areas, usually close to wadis and other wetlands and depressions in the terrain.
Distribution:
Egypt, Palestine, Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan.
Conservation status:
It is a common and locally abundant species. It is not considered threatened. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.